--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I myself have never been able to find out…" description: "\"“I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that di..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/rebecca-west-1248_cliches_i-myself-have-never-been-able-to-find-ou_570491.jpg" --- # I myself have never been able to find out precisely what… ![“I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat, or a prostitute.” quote by Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/rebecca-west-1248_cliches_i-myself-have-never-been-able-to-find-ou_570491.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/rebecca-west-1248_cliches_i-myself-have-never-been-able-to-find-ou_570491.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/rebecca-west-1248_cliches_i-myself-have-never-been-able-to-find-ou_570491.jpg) > ““I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat, or a prostitute.”” [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker admits uncertainty about feminism's definition, noting it is labeled when she asserts herself against oppression. **In simple terms:** Feminism is seen when she stands up. Key Takeaway Own your voice against oppression. Themes identity feminism self‑assertion Mood reflective assertive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - workplace negotiations - public speaking - activism - personal boundaries Key Concepts gender studies social labeling empowerment Questions to Reflect On - How do you define feminism for yourself? - When have you felt labeled unfairly? A Different Perspective Labels can oversimplify complex identities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cliches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cliches/) [Empowerment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empowerment/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Feminism Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism-know-4335017/) [Feminist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminist/) [Feminist Express](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminist-express-4353237/) [Opinions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinions/) [People Feminist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-feminist-4335018/) [Precisely Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precisely-feminism-4335019/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) [Womens-liberation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/womens-liberation-208300/) ## Related quotes > [I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/i-myself-have-never-been-able-to-find-out-precisely-what-feminism-is-2/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [Because I am a woman, I must make unusual efforts to succeed. If I fail, no one will say, She doesn't have what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/because-i-am-a-woman-i-must-make-unusual-efforts-to-succeed-if-i-fail-2/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [“People call me a feminist whenever I express statements that distinguish me from a doormat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/people-call-me-a-feminist-whenever-i-express-statements-that/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat or a prostitute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/i-only-know-that-people-call-me-a-feminist-whenever-i-express/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [People call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat or a prostitute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/people-call-me-a-feminist-whenever-i-express-sentiments-that/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [“I'm beautiful, yeah, but that's not what's going to shake your world. My refusal to live in an echo chamber all my life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/i-m-beautiful-yeah-but-that-s-not-what-s-going-to-shake-your-world-my/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [I don't appreciate it when women - or men - bandy about these stupid stereotypes about feminism that are age-old, and that are meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-hanna/i-don-t-appreciate-it-when-women-or-men-bandy-about-these-stupid/) [Kathleen Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-hanna/) > [The way I view feminism — and I know there are a lot of different things going on — but, at its purest form,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-dennings/the-way-i-view-feminism-and-i-know-there-are-a-lot-of-different/) [Kat Dennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-dennings/) > [There can be people who are feminist, and people who hold the completely opposite view but are still feminists. It seems to me from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-strauss/there-can-be-people-who-are-feminist-and-people-who-hold-the/) [Neil Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-strauss/) > [I remember getting to college and all of a sudden realizing that feminism was a dirty word to a lot of people and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quiara-alegria-hudes/i-remember-getting-to-college-and-all-of-a-sudden-realizing-that/) [Quiara Alegria Hudes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quiara-alegria-hudes/) > [“If men could see us as we really are, they would be a little amazed; but the cleverest, the acutest men are often under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/if-men-could-see-us-as-we-really-are-they-would-be-a-little-amazed/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [There are trappings of science fiction which I kind of embrace, but there are also cliches which I run from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-twohy/there-are-trappings-of-science-fiction-which-i-kind-of-embrace-but/) [David Twohy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-twohy/) > [“It's the cliches that cause the trouble. A precise emotion seeks a precise expression. If what I feel is not precise than how should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/it-s-the-cliches-that-cause-the-trouble-a-precise-emotion-seeks-a/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [I think the French have a romantic cliche that Englishmen have great style, great music, irony and sense of humour. Well, sometimes cliches are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-de-la-baume/i-think-the-french-have-a-romantic-cliche-that-englishmen-have-great/) [Josephine de La Baume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-de-la-baume/) > [All the cliches of glamorous sophistication have little appeal to me. Do I want to live the British version of 'Dynasty?' No thanks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/all-the-cliches-of-glamorous-sophistication-have-little-appeal-to-me/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) ## More by Rebecca West > [I see the main problem of my life, and indeed anybody's life, as the balancing of competitive freedoms ... a sense of mutual obligations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/i-see-the-main-problem-of-my-life-and-indeed-anybody-s-life-as-the/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [“There is, of course, no reason for the existence of the male sex except that sometimes one needs help with moving the piano.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/there-is-of-course-no-reason-for-the-existence-of-the-male-sex-except/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [“At the top of a hill our automobile stuck in a snowdrift. Peasants ran out of a cottage near by, shouting with laughter because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/at-the-top-of-a-hill-our-automobile-stuck-in-a-snowdrift-peasants-ran/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [We all drew on the comfort which is given out by the major works of Mozart, which is as real and material as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/we-all-drew-on-the-comfort-which-is-given-out-by-the-major-works-of/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [Christianity must be regarded not as a final revelation but as a phase of revelation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/christianity-must-be-regarded-not-as-a-final-revelation-but-as-a/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [Art and propaganda have this much connection, that if a propaganda makes art impossible, it is clearly damned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/art-and-propaganda-have-this-much-connection-that-if-a-propaganda/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [The American struggle for the vote was much more difficult than the English for the simple reason that it was much more easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/the-american-struggle-for-the-vote-was-much-more-difficult-than-the/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [ Like all bad drivers, he \[Henry Andrews\] thought he was the best driver in the world... ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/like-all-bad-drivers-he-henry-andrews-thought-he-was-the-best-driver/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [The childhood of the individual and the race is full of fears, and panic-stricken attempts to avert what is feared by placating the gods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/the-childhood-of-the-individual-and-the-race-is-full-of-fears-and/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [Humanity is never more sphinxlike than when it is expressing itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/humanity-is-never-more-sphinxlike-than-when-it-is-expressing-itself/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [ \[On Jane Austen:\] To believe her limited in range because she was harmonious in method is as sensible as to imagine that when the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/on-jane-austen-to-believe-her-limited-in-range-because-she-was/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [a good oyster cannot please the palate as acutely as a bad one can revolt it, and a good oyster cannot make him who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/a-good-oyster-cannot-please-the-palate-as-acutely-as-a-bad-one-can/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [If there is a God, I don't think He would demand that anyone bow down or stand up to Him. I often have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/if-there-is-a-god-i-don-t-think-he-would-demand-that-anyone-bow-down/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [Any authentic work of art must start an argument between the artist and his audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/any-authentic-work-of-art-must-start-an-argument-between-the-artist/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [... there has never been a period in history when there have been necessary killings which has not been instantly followed by a period…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/there-has-never-been-a-period-in-history-when-there-have-been/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) [Explore all 264 Rebecca West quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) ## More Cliches quotes > [All the cliches of glamorous sophistication have little appeal to me. Do I want to live the British version of 'Dynasty?' No thanks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/all-the-cliches-of-glamorous-sophistication-have-little-appeal-to-me/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [“If men could see us as we really are, they would be a little amazed; but the cleverest, the acutest men are often under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/if-men-could-see-us-as-we-really-are-they-would-be-a-little-amazed/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [There are trappings of science fiction which I kind of embrace, but there are also cliches which I run from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-twohy/there-are-trappings-of-science-fiction-which-i-kind-of-embrace-but/) [David Twohy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-twohy/) > [“It's the cliches that cause the trouble. A precise emotion seeks a precise expression. If what I feel is not precise than how should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/it-s-the-cliches-that-cause-the-trouble-a-precise-emotion-seeks-a/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [I think the French have a romantic cliche that Englishmen have great style, great music, irony and sense of humour. Well, sometimes cliches are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-de-la-baume/i-think-the-french-have-a-romantic-cliche-that-englishmen-have-great/) [Josephine de La Baume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-de-la-baume/) > [Last, but not least, avoid cliches like the plague.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/last-but-not-least-avoid-cliches-like-the-plague/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [When academics claim a topic is obsolete, they mean merely they are tired of flogging it with their cliches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/when-academics-claim-a-topic-is-obsolete-they-mean-merely-they-are/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [I'm sick of the old cliches. Bring me some new cliches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn-jr/i-m-sick-of-the-old-cliches-bring-me-some-new-cliches/) [Samuel Goldwyn, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn-jr/) > [Every cliche is true, right? That's why they're cliches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-di-piero/every-cliche-is-true-right-that-s-why-they-re-cliches/) [W. S. Di Piero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-di-piero/) > [“I understand why sometimes people speak in cliches because sometimes there is no other way to describe something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/i-understand-why-sometimes-people-speak-in-cliches-because-sometimes/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [They're all true - the cliches like 'one day at time' and 'ups and downs.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-elverum/they-re-all-true-the-cliches-like-one-day-at-time-and-ups-and-downs/) [Phil Elverum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-elverum/) > [Instinct is still important, but now I can easily identify problems like cliches and mixed metaphors, and I have a broader palette to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-shires/instinct-is-still-important-but-now-i-can-easily-identify-problems/) [Amanda Shires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-shires/) > [I just like cliches. I like tvtropes.com. It's pretty much my bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oneohtrix-point-never/i-just-like-cliches-i-like-tvtropes-com-it-s-pretty-much-my-bible/) [Oneohtrix Point Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oneohtrix-point-never/) > [Desi, Desi, Desi what am I going to do with you? (Kyrian) Don't you dare take that flippant tone with me! (Desiderius) Why ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/desi-desi-desi-what-am-i-going-to-do-with-you-kyrian-don-t-you-dare/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“That night she wrote a hasty sketch and showed it to Oliver. "It's all right," he said. "But I'd take out that stuff about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/that-night-she-wrote-a-hasty-sketch-and-showed-it-to-oliver-it-s-all/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) [Browse all 175 Cliches quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cliches/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat, or a prostitute.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rebecca West" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/i-myself-have-never-been-able-to-find-out-precisely-what-feminism-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cliches" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/i-myself-have-never-been-able-to-find-out-precisely-what-feminism-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/rebecca-west-1248_cliches_i-myself-have-never-been-able-to-find-ou_570491.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/rebecca-west-1248_cliches_i-myself-have-never-been-able-to-find-ou_570491.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f1/rebecca-west-1248_cliches_i-myself-have-never-been-able-to-find-ou_570491.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a…” — Rebecca West", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Rebecca West", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I myself have never been able...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/i-myself-have-never-been-able-to-find-out-precisely-what-feminism-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/i-myself-have-never-been-able-to-find-out-precisely-what-feminism-is/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```